20

Jun

PolyOne Develops Carbon Fibre Underbody Brace for C7 Corvette

PolyOne announced its lightweight, carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) underbody brace is now offered as a performance upgrade for the current C7 generation of GM’s Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The Corvette Z06 won last year’s Car and Driver Lightning Lap with the fastest speed, which also ranked as the second fastest lap time in the history of the event.

 

 

The company produced the continuous carbon fibre braces using pultrusion technology. PolyOne says the braces reduce weight compared to aluminum. The braces also increasing flexural stiffness for improved structural integrity and long-term fatigue strength.

“Our Glasforms team evaluated several composite types and identified a solution with optimal performance. The carbon fibre-reinforced composite part is 17% lighter than the stock aluminum part, and the composite held up well in GM’s extensive vibration, shake and road test regimen,” said Matthew Borowiec, general manager, PolyOne Advanced Composites – the company’s new platform it created after it acquired Gordon Composites and Polystrand. “We are proud that our team’s expertise in materials and engineering is helping to boost the legendary performance of the Corvette.”

General Motors uses the Corvette as a validation vehicle for many of its new technologies. GM has a 60-year history with composites. In 1953, Molded Fibre Glass launched the first production model of the Corvette with fibreglass body panels. In 1972, the Corvette’s body panels were made with sheet molding compounds (SMC) for the first time. All Corvettes since 1973 have used SMC body panels. As recently as last year, Continental Structural Plastics introduced its TCA Ultra Lite body panel for the Corvette.

Buy carbon fibre, fibreglass and other composites online in Australia at Beyond Materials

According to  http://compositesmanufacturingmagazine.com

19

Jun

SpaceX Successfully Tests Carbon Fibre Tank for Mars Spaceship

SpaceX has completed a critical test for the carbon fibre fuel tank of its Interplanetary Transport System spaceship, which is designed to transport humans to Mars. Last month, during an “Ask Me Anything” session on Reddit, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said he believes the carbon fibre tank is the most essential part of the spaceship.

The tank is 12 meters (~39 feet) wide, the largest such vessel ever produced. According to Space.com, SpaceX tested the tank by taking it out to sea to see how it performs under pressure. SpaceX wrote on Twitter that the tank reached both of its pressure targets and that the next step will be full cryogenic testing.

In the Reddit discussion, Musk revealed the tank would be “built with [the] latest and greatest carbon fibre prepreg” – carbon fibre that’s pre-impregnated with a resin to make it tougher. “In theory, it should hold cryogenic propellant without leaking and without a sealing linker,” he said. Carbon fiber’s high tensile strength, design flexibility and low density are also major benefits.

Musk was also quick to note, though, that working with carbon fibre wouldn’t come without its challenges.

“Even though carbon fibre has [an] incredible strength-to-weight [ratio], when you want one of them put super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid methane — particularly liquid oxygen — in the tank, it’s subject to cracking and leaking and it’s a very difficult thing to make,” Musk explains. He adds that the sheer scale of it is also challenging.

However, despite potential obstacles, he did note that “early tests are promising” and that “initial tests with the cryogenic propellant … actually look quite positive.”

“We have not seen any leaks or major issues,” he added.

 compositesmanufacturingmagazine

19

Jun

Pink Gin VI, World’s Largest Carbon Fibre Sloop

Baltic Yachts’ all-carbon composite, 160-ton single-mast yacht the Pink Gin VI is one pace to debut in the water by May 12.

The yacht’s hull was laminated with epoxy carbon prepreg for its inner skin and E-glass and aramid for its outer skin. A layer of Kevlar woven fibers was used in the forefoot of the hull laminate for added impact resistance. The deck was also laminated in epoxy carbon prepreg with a core-cell foam as sandwich material.

The interior of the boat features structural bulkheads made of Nomex/Core-Cell core CRP sandwich construction. It also features a 67.9m carbon fibre mast. By using composites, the boat’s overall displacement is only 235 tons, Baltic Yachts says is low for a yacht of this size.

The Pink Gin VI is the world’s largest all-carbon-fibre sloop, so transporting it to its destination at Jakobstad, Finland was a challenge. Instead of traveling by sea, the sloop had to be driven 13 miles on land. The yacht traveled at an average speed of about 6 mph during the journey during which roundabouts, a railroad crossing and other obstacles had to be negotiated. Baltic Yachts was given permission to widen roads in places and temporarily remove traffic signs so that the unusual load could travel safely to Jakobstad. The carbon fibre mast and the keel will be delivered separately, and will ultimately arrive at its new owner by the middle of summer.

In addition to the Pink Gin VI, Baltic Yachts is also planning on beginning construction of three other carbon fibre yachts this year, each of which has already sold out.

According to http://compositesmanufacturingmagazine.com

19

Jun

World’s First Carbon Fibre Subway Car

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles, a leading Chinese train car maker, announced that it has developed a prototype of the world’s first subway train made of carbon fibre. CRRC says its composite prototype is more durable and requires less energy than traditional metal cars. It is also believed to be 35 percent lighter due to its use of carbon fibre.

In recent years, CRRC has sold train and subway cars to 20 countries including the U.S., Brazil and Australia. The subway cars are expected to last at least 30 years as carbon fibre is more capable of resisting fatigue, corrosion, and UV radiation, CRRC says. Carbon fibre is also stronger and quieter compared to metal, the manufacturer notes, and offers in better thermal and sound insulation performance.

CRRC Changchun said it owns full intellectual property rights on the use of carbon fibre for making subway cars. The cars will first be used for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Orange Line. Back in October, CRRC produced the first China-made subway cars for the Orange Line as part of a 284-carriage order signed by the company with MBTA in December 2014. The deal was the first time a Chinese train car maker won a bid in the US market. The company believes the strides it has made with in-house research will result in mass production of the cars.

By Evan Milberg   compositesmanufacturingmagazine.com

03

Jun

Carbon Fibre and DIY Kits for Your Repair Needs.

Buy Carbon Fibre Kits. Learn how to work with carbon fibre and make your own custom carbon fibre parts.

 

Here at Beyond Materials we have put together Carbon Fibre and DIY kits that you can use to make your first carbon fibre parts.

These carbon fibre kits include all of the basic materials you will need to make a small carbon fibre part, make a repair or laminate an existing object. The best part is that our carbon fibre kits are small and affordable and include everything you need to get started.

These carbon fibre kits have been used to repair or reinforce kiteboards, landboards, carbon fibre lips, carbon fibre hoods, interior pieces, vehicles and more.

For general yachting, we offer a fibreglass repair kit that will help you repair or at least temporary mend a crack or a hole in a punctured hull – and without being any kind of composite expert or having to carry or buy large quantities. Beyond Materials makes composite repairs simple and straightforward.

 

Buy carbon fibre and other composites online in Australia at Beyond Materials

29

Nov

Recycled Carbon Fibre Moves into Automotive

Chery New Energy Automobile Technology Co. Ltd. in China has pledged to apply recycled carbon fibre from ELG Carbon Fibre to its eQ1 electric vehicle. The ultimate goal is to expand the fibre into higher volume vehicles.

 

ELG Carbon Fibre Ltd. (Coseley, UK) and Adesso Advanced Materials Wuhu Co. Ltd. (Wuhu, China) have concluded a MOU regarding cooperation to develop lightweight composite components for the automotive industry based on ELG’s recycled carbon fibre materials.

 

The initial focus of the cooperation is to investigate applications that have been identified by Chery New Energy Automobile Technology Co. Ltd. (Wuhu, China) on the Chery eQ1 electric vehicle. The goal is to further reduce the weight of the eQ1, which already makes extensive use of aluminium technology, through selective use of carbon fibre composites. The longer term intent is to then apply the knowledge gained from these projects in Chery’s conventional vehicles.

Following a preliminary evaluation of ELG’s materials by Professor Fan Guanghong’s team at the Advanced Manufacture Technology Center of China Academy of Machinery Science Technology (CAMTC), Chery has suggested initial applications to be investigated, and providing that technical and commercial targets are achieved.  ELG, Adesso and Chery intend to enter into a definite agreement to start full-scale production of these parts in Wuhu. This agreement would see ELG Carbon Fibre establish a carbon fibre recycling operation in China when sufficient volumes of recycled carbon fibre materials are required.

Frazer Barnes, managing director of ELG Carbon Fibre, says, “The eQ1, through its extensive use of aluminium, already represents a huge advancement in lightweighting for the Chinese car industry. We are pleased to be working with the innovative engineering team at Adesso and Chery to help them take the next step forward and start introducing carbon fibre composites into their vehicles”.

Dr. Bo Liang, president, chairman and CEO of Adesso, says, “Working together in this project enables us to address the barriers preventing large-scale use of carbon fibre composites in automotive applications —namely cost — through the use of recycled materials, design and manufacturing and collaboration with experienced partners. Our vision is that cooperation leads to an automotive composites hub in Wuhu. It also strengthens our vision on sustainability of the composite industry in China.”

Gao Lixin, deputy general manager of Chery Automobile Co. Ltd. and general manager of Chery New Energy Automobile Technology Co. Ltd., says, “There is a strong need to reduce the weight of both new energy and conventional vehicles in order to meet environmental and performance targets. We believe carbon fibre composites have an important role to play in this and through our cooperation with ELG and Adesso on the eQ1 project we will gain a significant learning curve advantage that we can then use in our conventional vehicles.”

 

Buy carbon fibre, fibreglass and other composites online in Australia at Beyond Materials

28

Nov

Benefits of Composites

Benefits of Composites

 

Light Weight – Composites are light in weight compared to most woods and metals. Their lightness is important in automobiles and aircraft, for example, where less weight means better fuel efficiency. Designers of airplanes are greatly concerned with weight, since reducing a craft’s weight reduces the amount of fuel it needs, and increases the speeds it can reach.

High Strength – Composites can be designed to be far stronger than aluminium or steel. Metals are equally strong in all directions. But composites can be engineered and designed to be strong in a specific direction.

Strength to Weight – Strength-to-weight ratio is a material’s strength in relation to how much it weighs. Some materials are very strong and heavy, such as steel. Other materials can be strong and light, such as bamboo poles. Composite materials can be designed to be both strong and light. This property is why composites are used to build airplanes—which need a very high strength material at the lowest possible weight. A composite can also be made to resist bending in one direction, for example. When something is built with metal, and greater strength is needed in one direction, the material usually must be made thicker, which adds weight. Composites can be strong without being heavy. Composites have the highest strength-to-weight ratios in structures today.

Corrosion Resistance – Composites resist damage from the weather and from harsh chemicals that can eat away at other materials. Composites are good choices where chemicals are handled or stored. Outside, they stand up to severe weather and wide changes in temperature.

High-Impact Strength – Composites can be made to absorb impacts—the sudden force of a bullet, for instance, or the blast from an explosion. Because of this property, composites are used in bullet-proof vests and panels, and to shield airplanes, buildings, and military vehicles from explosions.

Design Flexibility – Composites can be moulded into complicated shapes more easily than most other materials. This gives designers the freedom to create almost any shape or form. Most recreational boats today, for example, are built from fibreglass composites because these materials can easily be moulded into complex shapes which improve boat design while lowering costs. The surface of composites can also be moulded to mimic any surface finish or texture, from smooth to pebbly.

Part Consolidation – A single piece made of composite materials can replace an entire assembly of metal parts. Reducing the number of parts in a machine or a structure saves time and cuts down on the maintenance needed over the life of the item.

Dimensional Stability – Composites retain their shape and size when they are hot or cool, wet or dry. Wood, on the other hand, swells and shrinks as the humidity changes. Composites can be a better choice in situations demanding tight fits that do not vary.

Nonconductive – Composites are nonconductive, meaning they do not conduct electricity. This property makes them suitable for such items as electrical utility poles and the circuit boards in electronics. If electrical conductivity is needed, it is possible to make some composites conductive.

Nonmagnetic – Composites contain no metals; therefore, they are not magnetic. They can be used around sensitive electronic equipment. The lack of magnetic interference allows large magnets used in MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) equipment to perform better. Composites are used in both the equipment housing and table. In addition, the construction of the room uses composites rebar to reinforced the concrete walls and floors in the hospital.

Radar Transparent – Radar signals pass right through composites, a property that makes composites ideal materials for use anywhere radar equipment is operating, whether on the ground or in the air. Composites play a key role in stealth aircraft, such as the U.S. Air Force’s B-2 stealth bomber, which is nearly invisible to radar.

Low Thermal Conductivity – Composites are good insulators—they do not easily conduct heat or cold. They are used in buildings for doors, panels, and windows where extra protection is needed from severe weather.

Durable – Structures made of composites have a long life and need little maintenance. We do not know how long composites last, because we have not come to the end of the life of many original composites. Many composites have been in service for half a century.

25

Sep

Carbon Fibre Robotic Arm

This prosthesis is called the BeBionic3 myoelectric hand and it’s made by a British company named RSLSteeper

About six years ago, Nigel Ackland lost half of his arm in an unfortunate work accident. And now rather than sporting a typical, silicon, prosthetic hand that mimics human flesh, Ackland is sporting the Terminator look.

The BeBionic3 is far beyond your typical prosthetic arm and allows for more control and greater grips. It is made with a full carbon fibre body and has aluminum and alloy knuckles. The hand works from sensors on both sides of his arm and once activated, can be controlled by two muscles. It comes with eight different programmed grips which allow him to point a finger, type on a keyboard, hold a mouse and much more…like scaring children with a “come here” motion. You can see what I mean in the video below. The thumb position can also be moved around, to allow for more reach and grab. While there is no exact word on price yet, you can expect it to go for a pretty penny. But it will hopefully be covered by most insurance and Medicare in the U.S. and the national healthcare in the U.K.

 

Also from the video, you can see that the BeBionic3 is gentle enough to grab eggs from a carton yet powerful enough to hold onto a nice cold beer. It’s also obvious from the video, Ackland considers himself extremely fortunate to have been given such an awesome second chance at having a hand.

Make sure to check out the videos below to see for yourself. It truly is amazing how far prosthetic have come, thanks to carbon fibre and technology.